Many times, fisherman cannot predict what lures or baits may successfully attract a fish. It is believed that simulating the appearance and motion of a fish's natural prey will increase the likelihood that a fish will be attracted to the lure or bait. To this end, there has been some experimentation with small lures and baits formed from flexible polymers that allow the body and appendages of the lure or bait to move with a relatively fluid motion. These typically take the form of a silicon polymer body that is threaded onto a hook.
There are drawbacks to these small, soft-bodied lures and baits, however. Because the stress of the hook is focused on a single point on the body, the hook tends to tear through the body. Additionally, because these small bodies have a fairly low weight, sinkers or other external weights are typically added to the fishing line above the hook to hold the body to a desired depth. Aside from the inconvenience of using separate sinkers or weighting devices in addition to the body, using sinkers or other weighting devices on a fishing line away from the body tend to impart an unnatural motion to the body.
From the above, it is seen that techniques for improving fishing lures are highly desired.